Since COVID-19 has shut down schools for weeks, I thought I'd compile a small list of craft ideas to do with your kiddos while they're home. These crafts can be created from recycled materials you may have lying around at home
**Please note these images are not from examples I have created**
Cardboard Crafts
1. Use an old box to map out a city or town as seen above. You can use cars, trains, or figurines you have at home to make the city roads a scale that fits your child's existing toys. For the older children, maybe have them create a scene from their favorite book instead? Or try to map out their neighborhood on the box
2. Remove the lid from a box and create a golf practice game. Make sure to cut the holes to fit the balls you have at home if you do not own golf balls. Cut as many holes as you'd like in whatever sizes you would like. You can make larger holes for younger children and smaller ones for older children. See who can earn the most points. If you want to add an education element to this, mark the holes with letters instead of point values. Have your kids try to spell out words instead of playing for numerical points. See who can successfully create the longest word.
Paper Crafts
1. Cut out various shapes in different sizes and colors of paper. (If you don't have colored paper, have your kids color them after) Have your child place different shapes together to create an animal, person, or place. Use smaller shapes for older children and larger shapes for younger ones. (There are various examples of animals made from shapes on google) Have your older child make a story about the animal they have create. They can create several different characters for their story with the shapes you cut out.
2. Make a family tree by tracing everyone's hands. Again, depending on your child's age, you can let them trace and cut the hands or just have them help by holding the pencil with you. If your child is older you could also have them label each finger with certain facts about each family member. For example, in everyone's thumb write their middle name, index finger write their favorite color, middle finger the town they were born, ring finger their favorite food, and pinky finger their age. Older children can also color a background for the tree that represents their family. They could even print out pictures they find online of everyone's favorite foods, places, or things to do.
Paper Plate Crafts
1. This is pretty self-explanatory based off the image provided. For older kids though you can have them try to make their own paper plate animals after making the owl. You'd be surprised at how crafty and imaginative children really are. You could even try this with the younger kiddos, see what they come up with. You could also again have them write out a story about the owl they made. For the younger kids who can't write yet ask them questions about their owl. What is his/her name? Where do they live? Do they have a big family? What do they do for fun? Etc. You can turn even the most basic craft into a learning activity if you put your mind to it.
2. Have your child create an aquarium on their paper plate. They can use materials they find outside to decorate the aquarium. Dirt can be used instead of sand, and any green leaves can be cut and laid down to form greenery for decoration. You can also just use plain construction paper as well. Older children can make more complex aquariums with more than one fish. Younger children will probably need you to do most of the work for this one, but again you can have them interact by holding the pencil while you draw the shape and asking them questions about their fish.
Toilet Paper Roll Crafts - We all know you're hoarding it, and if you're not you know someone who is. So while you're home, flying through rolls for whatever reason, why not put them to good use? These are simple crafts, so I'll just attach the images below. But remember, any craft can be made more complex by adding on option story writing or questions about their craft. You could even have them make their own step by step instruction guide for how to make what they made. Get crafty!
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